This invention relates to the cleaning of textiles generally, and is more specifically related to a process of wet-cleaning textiles that were heretofore cleaned by chemical dry-cleaning processes.
The cleaning of textiles has been necessary for as long as humans have worn clothing. Textiles are commonly cleaned with water. To reduce the surface tension of water, and increase the effectiveness of the water cleaning process, surfactants are commonly added to the water. Further, to remove oil-based dirt and stains, emulsifiers are commonly added to the water to assist in removing oil from stains.
The use of water to clean textiles is almost always associated with substantial mechanical action, whether or not agents such as surfactants and emulsifiers are added to the water. Historically, this has included beating the textile with a rock in the presence of water, and in more recent times, is associated with washing machines having electric motors, which are designed to substantially agitate the textile in the presence of water and detergents.
Textiles are damaged by substantial mechanical action in the presence of water. Commonly used textile materials such as silks and wools may be ruined by machine washing with water. Wet-washing with detergents and mechanical action can damage fibers, cause shrinkage and remove dye from the fabric. This damage is further enhanced by elevated temperatures and harsh detergents.
Accordingly, many textiles are intended to be dry cleaned and are specifically labeled as xe2x80x9cdry clean onlyxe2x80x9d. Dry cleaning processes are well known, but in summary, dry cleaning processes may be more accurately described as non-aqueous cleaning, rather than xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d cleaning. Textiles are introduced into a solvent, and are agitated in the presence of the dry cleaning chemical solvent. This solvent removes dirt and stains by solubilizing or emulsifying the dirt and stains. The materials removed from the garments, which are suspended or dissolved in the dry clearing fluid, are carried away with the fluid, which is filtered to remove particles.
The solvents that are typically used in dry cleaning processes will remove both oil based stains and dirt, and with added soaps stains and dirt that are otherwise water-soluble. Dry cleaning solvents are typically organic. The solvents which have been in primary use in dry-cleaning are perchloroethylene based dry cleaning fluids.
Most dry cleaning fluids in common use, particularly including those which include perchloroethtylene, are toxic. They are both an environmental hazard and a health hazard. Disposal of used perchloroethylene based dry cleaning fluids, as well as other known dry cleaning fluids, has become a substantial health and environmental problem
The use of water to clean textiles is preferred, since the associated environmental and health problems are reduced. Heretofore, textiles that are labeled dry clean only could not be commercially cleaned using a water based process.
Any cleaning process that involves water is dependent on four factors: time, temperature, chemicals and mechanical action. According to the International Fabricare Institute, most wet cleaning cycle times range from 13-19 minutes, at a temperature of 80-89xc2x0 F. The chemical agents used in most commercial processes are neutral to slightly acidic, and have a pH in the range of 6.5-7. Mechanical action is substantial, lifting the clothing to the 10 o""clock position of the cylinder, and reversing to the 2 o""clock position in most machines, although some lift to the 9 o""clock and 3 o""clock positions. The clothing lifts and falls within the cylinder to mechanically agitate and achieve cleaning. Most washers apply a G-force of 0.6 to 0.7 G during the wash cycle, which is increased upon water extraction to 250-460 G.1 The time, temperature, chemicals and mechanical action that are used in commercial wet cleaning processes, as described, will damage textiles that are labeled xe2x80x9cdry clean onlyxe2x80x9d.
1Source: International Fabricare Institute 
The present invention is a process of cleaning textiles, including textiles that are labeled dry clean only, without the use of large quantities of environmentally hazardous dry cleaning fluids, such as those containing perchloroethylene or petroleum. The textile, such as a garment that is labeled dry clean only, is treated by hand, applying at least one cleaning agent to at least one soiled area of the garment which is labeled for dry cleaning. The garment is washed in water to partially remove the cleaning agent, and to remove soil from the garment, including soil loosed or emulsified by the cleaning agent. Chilled ozonated water is used to further remove the cleaning agent, and to remove the water from the garment. The garment is the dried at a temperature imparted to the garment of not more than 55 degrees Celsius.
The garment is primarily cleaned by the hand application of the cleaning agent, which does not damage the dry clean only fabric. The use of the ozonated water removes the cleaning agent and the water. Ozonated water dries faster than water, and is more effective than water at removing the cleaning agent, so that the dry clean only garment does not materially shrink or deform. The garment is dried without exposing the garment to heat at the levels normally used by commercial laundry dryers.